Chapter – 2.5
Social Organization:
Origin and Evolution of Social Organization in Primate
Society. Example Monkey
Animals that live together derive some benefits. A social organization
is a group of individuals of a species that live together, exhibit
cooperation and division of labour. Such organization exists in both
invertebrates and vertebrates. Among invertebrates arthropods have
well organized colonies. The ants, bees and termites live together in
large numbers. Social organizations are beneficial otherwise they
would not have survived for centuries. Social organizations are seen
in mammals too. The deer, elephants, the lions, tigers, wolves also
stay together. A well established social organization is seen in
primates such as the monkeys, baboons, langurs etc. Man also lives in
a society where he has to cooperate among his family members and
in his place of work.
Most animals interact with their own kind at some stage in life. Very rarely do we
come across animals that lead a solitary life. Some animals choose to live
together in a society. It is perfectly valid to refer to any interaction between
individuals of a species as a social organization. As the name ‘organization’
suggests it is a well managed system.
A true animal society will involve more than the mated pair or just a mother and
her offspring. A social organization is a large group of members who
intercommunicate extensively and bear some relatively permanent
social relationship to one another.
An invertebrate society has large number of individuals, they build their own
home, they have a caste system, division of labour, trophallaxis and secrete
pheromones to communicate.
A vertebrate society also has a number of individuals, they occupy a territory
within a home range. They exhibit dominance hierarchiay with a single individual
taking charge. There is perfect communicaiton and cooperation among the
members. The individuals are receptive to the needs of the others and the focus
is on the survival of the species.
ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF A SOCIAL ORGANIZATION
A social organization could have originated due to the following reasons.
a. The offspring chose to stay with their parents
The children or offspring would have been helpless after birth and not
precocial like the calves. The helpless offspring depend on the mother for milk.
, 275 Social Organization…
They need to be kept warm by clinging on to the mother. They need
protection and have to learn a number of survival tactics before they can
venture out on their own. The period of infancy could be extended ie they take
a long time to grow up. During this period they need to learn from the parents
how to obtain food, who their enemies are and how to escape from them.
Staying together makes them aware of their social responsibilities and they
learn to care for one another. They are able to understand the bonding
between various members and how to move up in the rank order. They learn the
benefits of becoming the alpha male or the most dominant one. They learn
to take up responsibilities crucial for the survival of the organization. They
learn to communicate and become receptive to other members.
b. When two adults chose to stay together
Just like the above case where children chose to live with parents for the benefits
they can obtain. Two individuals could chose to stay together. The adults would
have realized that ‘two is better than one.’ The adults staying together obtain
a lot of benefits. There is sharing of work, sharing of responsiblities, there is
social contact for healthy growth, there is security and protection
against predators as they could alert each other of dangers. They learn the
benefits of cooperation and division of labour. The need for another
person to be around, to communicate and be receptive is an intergral part of a
social orgnization.
After a social organizaton originated because of many benefits that a species can
derive form it the organization has survived over centuries. The organization
could have evolved from a small group to larger ones. Ultimately the main aim
is of survival of the species not just of an individual. As every species has
the instinct to survive and to propagate its own kind, a social organization has
become more and more evolved. Social behaviour has become more evolved
from just mutual cooperation and division of labour to group dyanmics where
more sophisticated behaviour such as altruism and kin selection is seen.
Benefits of a Social Organization
There are many benefits of living in a social organization. They are,
a. Better protection against predators.
b. There is improved protection of limited resources against other groups
of the same species and related species. (Members of a social organization
together help in protecting their territory, food mateial and mates against
other groups).
c. There is enhanced or increased chances of foraging success or in plain
words many individuals are better than one in searching for food.
d. There is reduction in predator pressure by improved detection and
repulsion of enemies. (Individuals in a group are more alert to dangers and
are also able to chase away the predators when they are together).
e. There is an improved care of offspring through communal feeding and
protection. (The young ones will be taken care of not just by the parents but
also by others in a society).
Disadvantages of Social Organisation
Social Organization:
Origin and Evolution of Social Organization in Primate
Society. Example Monkey
Animals that live together derive some benefits. A social organization
is a group of individuals of a species that live together, exhibit
cooperation and division of labour. Such organization exists in both
invertebrates and vertebrates. Among invertebrates arthropods have
well organized colonies. The ants, bees and termites live together in
large numbers. Social organizations are beneficial otherwise they
would not have survived for centuries. Social organizations are seen
in mammals too. The deer, elephants, the lions, tigers, wolves also
stay together. A well established social organization is seen in
primates such as the monkeys, baboons, langurs etc. Man also lives in
a society where he has to cooperate among his family members and
in his place of work.
Most animals interact with their own kind at some stage in life. Very rarely do we
come across animals that lead a solitary life. Some animals choose to live
together in a society. It is perfectly valid to refer to any interaction between
individuals of a species as a social organization. As the name ‘organization’
suggests it is a well managed system.
A true animal society will involve more than the mated pair or just a mother and
her offspring. A social organization is a large group of members who
intercommunicate extensively and bear some relatively permanent
social relationship to one another.
An invertebrate society has large number of individuals, they build their own
home, they have a caste system, division of labour, trophallaxis and secrete
pheromones to communicate.
A vertebrate society also has a number of individuals, they occupy a territory
within a home range. They exhibit dominance hierarchiay with a single individual
taking charge. There is perfect communicaiton and cooperation among the
members. The individuals are receptive to the needs of the others and the focus
is on the survival of the species.
ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF A SOCIAL ORGANIZATION
A social organization could have originated due to the following reasons.
a. The offspring chose to stay with their parents
The children or offspring would have been helpless after birth and not
precocial like the calves. The helpless offspring depend on the mother for milk.
, 275 Social Organization…
They need to be kept warm by clinging on to the mother. They need
protection and have to learn a number of survival tactics before they can
venture out on their own. The period of infancy could be extended ie they take
a long time to grow up. During this period they need to learn from the parents
how to obtain food, who their enemies are and how to escape from them.
Staying together makes them aware of their social responsibilities and they
learn to care for one another. They are able to understand the bonding
between various members and how to move up in the rank order. They learn the
benefits of becoming the alpha male or the most dominant one. They learn
to take up responsibilities crucial for the survival of the organization. They
learn to communicate and become receptive to other members.
b. When two adults chose to stay together
Just like the above case where children chose to live with parents for the benefits
they can obtain. Two individuals could chose to stay together. The adults would
have realized that ‘two is better than one.’ The adults staying together obtain
a lot of benefits. There is sharing of work, sharing of responsiblities, there is
social contact for healthy growth, there is security and protection
against predators as they could alert each other of dangers. They learn the
benefits of cooperation and division of labour. The need for another
person to be around, to communicate and be receptive is an intergral part of a
social orgnization.
After a social organizaton originated because of many benefits that a species can
derive form it the organization has survived over centuries. The organization
could have evolved from a small group to larger ones. Ultimately the main aim
is of survival of the species not just of an individual. As every species has
the instinct to survive and to propagate its own kind, a social organization has
become more and more evolved. Social behaviour has become more evolved
from just mutual cooperation and division of labour to group dyanmics where
more sophisticated behaviour such as altruism and kin selection is seen.
Benefits of a Social Organization
There are many benefits of living in a social organization. They are,
a. Better protection against predators.
b. There is improved protection of limited resources against other groups
of the same species and related species. (Members of a social organization
together help in protecting their territory, food mateial and mates against
other groups).
c. There is enhanced or increased chances of foraging success or in plain
words many individuals are better than one in searching for food.
d. There is reduction in predator pressure by improved detection and
repulsion of enemies. (Individuals in a group are more alert to dangers and
are also able to chase away the predators when they are together).
e. There is an improved care of offspring through communal feeding and
protection. (The young ones will be taken care of not just by the parents but
also by others in a society).
Disadvantages of Social Organisation
